Despite just about the wettest conditions imaginable I completed the Prudential Ride London cycle. The organisers had to cut the distance for the safety of riders to 86 miles (but I also rode 9 miles to the start!).

I went through the start in Olympic Park in the wind and rain, out through central London, past the wonderful poppies at the Tower of London. By the time we got to Richmond Park the rain was hard, the water was sloshing around in my shoes and I was wet through. In Walton on Thames (felt like in Thames!) and Weybridge the rain was torrential. It felt as if someone was throwing stones at my face and visibility was minimal. After this we had to cope with hub height floods in the more rural parts of Surrey. Happily the sun came out for the last hour for the ride back through Wimbledon, along the embankment and up the Mall with lots of cheering spectators helping us all to the finish.

Amazingly over 20,000 riders completed the ride out of 24,000 and it was quite a display of British spirit. The spectators and the marshals were amazing, it was much worse for them than the riders. The organisation of the event was flawless.

Would I do it again? – Yes of course! I will lining up at the start for the 2015 ride, hoping for better weather and to be able to complete the Surrey hill climbs. Thanks to Scleroderma who have awarded me a place.

Our fund for Scleroderma in my husband Martin’s memory is now well over £3500, with more to come. A big thanks to everyone who sponsored me and we hope this will benefit some of the sufferers and help to raise awareness of this horrible disease. To donate click here